Officials Investigate ‘Suspicious’ NJ Forest Fires

WINSLOW, N.J. (AP) — State environmental officials said two forest fires that have burned hundreds of acres in the southern New Jersey Pinelands were considered suspicious.

No injuries or evacuations were reported in the fires that broke out Friday, either in or near remote areas of the Winslow Wildlife Management Area in Camden County. But about 400 acres have been blackened overall.

Both blazes were still burning Saturday afternoon, though authorities said each had been fully contained. Roughly 70 firefighters remained at the scene, and officials hoped the fires would be extinguished sometime this weekend.

The cause of the fires remained under investigation.

State Environmental Protection Department spokesman Larry Ragonese said the blazes were being investigated as suspicious because the fires started so close to each other.

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